Giving Back
Corporate Sponsorship is the new ‘frontier’ for funding
in education. Corporate dollars support many areas in the educational
sector, from after school care to computer labs.
Education depends on equity of services and corporations serve as
a viable source for many schools and educational organizations. Despite
a current “bad rep,” many corporations are making philanthropic
initiatives in their local communities.
Focus on Community
Safeway is a company that is dedicated to serving its community,
and it does so by supporting a wide range of education
programs.
“We believe in the ideology that business takes, what can
we give back?” says Teena Massingill, Public Affairs Manager
for Safeway USA. “Giving back to the community is a pleasure
and a responsibility.”
The Safeway Foundation contributes to After School Care, Little
League and music programs - all programs that are typically cut
when the government enacts cutbacks.
“Education is a philanthropic priority,” says Massingill.
In 2003, Safeway Foundation donated $50,000 to the West Contra
Costa Unified School in the San Francisco Bay area after 200 teachers
were cut from the payroll.
Safeway also donates product directly to schools for fundraisers.
Every Safeway store has a donation budget that allows product to
be donated directly to schools for fundraising events.
“Because Safeway Cares” is another program where one
Safeway store adopts a non-profit organization and raises money
on its behalf throughout the year. In 2003, $500,000 was raised
in Northern California, half of which went directly to education.
The Journey
Lauren Moore is director of Giving and Community Affairs for
Starbucks. Giving back to the community is “part of what we
do,” says Moore “At Starbucks, we recognize the relationship
between the success of our company and the contributions we make
to help strengthen the communities where we operate. The two are
not mutually exclusive. ”
Making a Mark
“Jumpstart” is a national non-profit program that has partnered with
Starbucks since 2001.
The premise of Jumpstart is to build literacy development
through one-to-one mentoring relationships. Starbucks four-year,
$1 million donation supports Jumstart’s operations
and helps this non-profit organization expand to serve more
children and communities nationwide. Today, Jumpstart is
located in 18 states and 44 communities across the United
States.
United Kingdom: Partnering with Business in the Community
In the UK, Starbucks has joined with Business In The Community
(BITC) to address gaps in the National Curriculum.
“We run three two-day pilot courses in partnership
with schools in areas of high need,” says Moore. “Partners
help young people to understand their own strengths and skills
through one to one tutoring and team building exercises.”
In these courses, students are provided with guidance on
practical skills such as preparing CVs (resumes) and completing
job applications.
.
Programs such as this are vital to youth, particularly in
low-income areas where young people have little to no support
in making their way into the workforce.
Starbucks programs strive to help youth at the beginning
and end of their education, and many of the community sponsorships
are initiated at the regional and local,” adds Lauren.
When asked about the current negative reputation corporations
have been subject to in mainstream media Lauren says, “We
participate in the communities where we live and work because
it is simply part of how we do business.”
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